The Last Vermeer

Following the end of World War II, Captain Joseph Piller and his aide Dekker receive a tip about a Vermeer painting recovered in Austria from Hermann Goering's private collection. They arrest Han van Meegeren on charges of collaboration with the enemy and using the sale proceeds to fund an Abwehr network. The arrest marks the start of a controversial case that pits wartime loyalties against artistic authenticity.

Piller transfers Han to a safehouse to shield him from De Klerks, who want full custody and possibly harsher treatment after the war. The Allied authorities claim protective custody, fearing a witch-hunt against collaborators. Han's capture becomes a focal point in the fragile postwar power struggle.

During custody, Piller interrogates Han as he probes for the truth behind the Vermeer sale. Han demands materials to produce a canvas as evidence and begins recounting his origins and prewar career. His explanations start to sow doubt about the straightforward guilt of a 'collaborator'.

De Klerks, a group of Dutch authorities, push to take full custody of Han, threatening a harsher postwar punishment. Piller, fearing a scapegoating punishment or an outright escape for Han, transfers him to a different safehouse and bars entry. Allied protection continues to operate in the background.

While in custody, Han asserts that the recovered Vermeer was a fake and provides several individuals who could testify to its origin. His insistence casts further doubt on the case against him and unsettles the investigators. Piller begins to entertain the possibility that Van Meegeren's testimony might be credible.

As Allied forces withdraw, De Klerks moves to take Han into custody and pressure the case forward. Piller finds himself constrained, unable to prevent the local authorities from asserting their control. The power shift intensifies the stakes of the impending trial.

Minna, Piller's secretary, visits him and mentions a Vermeer-like portrait that seems to resemble his lover, Cootje. Piller returns to the now-abandoned safehouse and discovers Han's unfinished canvas, which eerily matches the recovered painting. This discovery strengthens his belief that Han might be telling the truth.

Convinced by the unfinished canvas, Piller decides to defend Han in court. He learns that Han could forge multiple works using bakelite, then erase age by heating and crumpling the canvas to mimic aged Vermeers. This knowledge reshapes the case, exposing a sophisticated fraud rather than simple collusion.

At the trial, the prosecution relies on art critics who initially authenticated the paintings and testify to their authenticity. Piller presents evidence that some works were forged, undermining the prosecution's case. The courtroom becomes a battleground over how much trust to place in expert opinion.

During a courtroom disturbance orchestrated by Dekker, acid is splashed on one painting, revealing Han's signature and casting new light on the supposed forgeries. The dramatic moment exposes the painter's deceptive practices and undermines the prosecution's narrative. The judges face a crucial turning point.

Despite earlier momentum for a guilty verdict, Han's conviction is overturned as the truth about forged works and the signature revelation comes to light. The public reaction shifts from condemnation to admiration for Han's cunning and for exposing weaknesses in art authentication. Piller's defense yields a controversial victory.

Days later, De Klerks presents Piller with a book recovered from the safehouse containing a dedication by Han to Adolf Hitler. Piller realizes Han's Nazi rhetoric was a cover or a calculated lie. He confronts Han at his house, but Han dismisses the accusation, deepening Piller's disillusion.

Disgusted by Han's manipulation and the false narrative, Piller leaves after the confrontation and burns the book. The act symbolizes a rejection of the lies that surrounded the case, but also leaves him with unresolved questions about truth and memory in postwar justice. The final portrait of Piller is one of weary moral scrutiny.